Grammar Reference

 

3.1 ■ Past simple and present perfect

Past simple	Present perfect
For actions that happened at a specific point in the past, usually with a time expression. Lee went to Portugal last year.	For actions that happened at some point in the past; the time is unknown or unimportant. Carrie has stayed at that hotel twice.
For situations that happened in a period of time that has ended. I lived in Germany from 2002 to 2006.	For actions or states that began in the past and that continue up to the present, usually with for or since. Freda has worked here for several years. Jim has been a teacher since 2010.
With past time references, such as yesterday, last … and … ago. We finished our exams last week. Karen started her new school a few days ago.	With ever, never, already, just and yet. Have you ever been here before? No, I've never been here in my life. Have the girls arrived yet? Isabel has already arrived. Kirsty has just got here, but Suzy hasn't arrived yet.
With time references such as this morning, today and this week to talk about something that happened in a part of that period that is finished. I saw Fred this morning. (The morning is finished.) Did Laura phone today? (It is now the evening, so the main part of 'today' is finished.)	With time references such as this morning, today and this week to talk about the whole of that period of time up to now. I haven't seen Fred this morning. (It is still the morning.) Has Laura phoned today? (It is still the daytime.)
With the question form How long ago … ? How long ago did Tom break his leg? He broke it two years ago.	With the question form How long … ? and with for or since. How long have you had that rash? I've had it for a month / since February.

Note that it is possible to use How long with a past simple verb and for, but we can't use since in the past simple answer.

How long did Tom have the rash for? (Tom no longer has the rash.)

He had it for a month.

NOT He had it since February.

The verb go has two past participle forms: been and gone. We use been when we know that someone has returned from a trip. We use gone when they have not returned.

Josh has been to India. (= He is back now.)

Josh has gone to India. (= He is still in India.)

In the past simple, there is only one form for the past of go: went.

Josh went to India last year. (We don't know if he came back, or if he is still there.)

We can use the past simple or the present perfect with time expressions, such as: today, this morning, this evening, this week, this year, etc. Compare the sentences:

I wrote three emails this morning. (The speaker is talking in the evening, so the period of time has ended.)

I've written three emails this morning. (The speaker is talking in the morning, so the period of time continues.)

3.2 ■ Present perfect continuous

Affirmative and negative
I You We They	have been haven't been	watching TV.
He She It	has been hasn't been
Questions and short answers
Have	I you we they	been watching TV?	Yes, I have. No, I haven't.
Has	he she it		Yes, he has. No, she hasn't.

Use

We use the present perfect continuous to talk about:

• a situation or action that began in the past and is still in progress. The emphasis is on the duration of the activity. We can use for and since to show how long.
  You've been writing that letter for three hours.
• an action that has happened repeatedly in the past and that is still happening now.
  Dan's been taking guitar lessons.
• a very recent action which has either just finished or which has just been interrupted; the present perfect continuous often introduces a reason or explanation.
  Kate and Lucy have been playing tennis.
  I'm tired because I've been working all day.

The present perfect and the present perfect continuous can sometimes be used with little difference in meaning, especially with verbs that express a continuous action such as wait, live, work + for or since.

He's waited a long time for this moment.

He's been waiting a long time for this moment.

However, the present perfect can tell us that an action finished recently, while the present perfect continuous emphasizes the activity itself.

I've done my homework.(I recently finished my homework.)

I've been doing my homework.(That is how I've spent my time until just now.)

The present perfect continuous can't be used with state verbs, e.g. be, like, believe, have.

I've been a teacher since 2008.

NOT I've been being a teacher since 2008.

The present perfect continuous isn't used to say how often something happened.

They've visited us many times.

NOT They've been visiting us many times.